Releasable device for article retention



Jan. 12, 1960 P. w. STATHEM RELEASABLE DEVICE FOR ARTICLE RETENTION Filed Nov. 7, 1958 INVENTOR. PAUL w smrHEM 2 M ATTOPNEVS I 2,920,407. 1 .PatentedwJan. 12, 9

:RELEASABLE DEVICE FOR ARTICLE RETENTION N This invention relates to a device for the holding of articles in depending fashion by their upper edgesor of papers, or the like, upon bulletin boards and blackboards.

'- It is anobject of this invention to provide an :articlegholdingdevice of the character described, which permits the posting of papers upon vertical surfaces without the necessity for using auxiliary fasteners, such as tacks, pressure-sensitive tape, or the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of the character described, which may be easily operated with one hand While the article to be secured is held in the other hand for positioning and retention by the device.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device, as above described, extremely simple of manufacture and easily made up for installation in a pre-cut or notched support, or molding, member.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a bulletin board embodying this invention with paper suspended therefrom in typical fashion.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in section illustrating the manner of operation of the device.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a typical clamping member.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in Figure 1 a bulletin board, generally designated 6, constructed of wood, or other suitable material, which is mounted vertically upon a wall 8 and is comprised of a generally rectangular upright backing or display board 10, to the top and bottom of which are respectively secured horizontal end-mitered molding membens 12 and 14 and to the sides of which are secured end-mitered vertical side members 16 and 18. Although the invention as illustrated is embodied in a bulletin board 6 of more or less conventional design, it is not limited thereto but may, if desired, be incorporated in a single support or molding member witl1- out the additional bottom and side moldings. Its suitability to a wide variety of installations thus becomes readily apparent.

, In Figure 2, top molding or support member 12 is secured at its upper end to the fiat front face 20 of board member and is provided with relatively deep notch 22 in its rearward face for the slidable receipt therein of a clamping member 24. The rear face 26 of molding member 12 and the front face 28 of clamping member 24 are parallel to each other and obliquely directed, with the rear or clamping face 30 of member 24 being disposed in parallel relationship with the vertical front or contact face 20 of board 10 when the clamping member 24 is downwardly disposed in clam-ping engagement with a sheet clamping members without disturbing the others.

of paper or other article 32 to exert a substantially uniform pressure thereon, as in Figure 2.

In Figure 4, the contact face 30 of clamping member 24 is shown covered with an abrasive or fi'iction material, such as sandpaper, which serves to prevent slippage between said member and the article 32. Although abrasive material is suggested, since cheap and readily available, other antieslippage materials may of course be used if desired. Further, friction material may be secured to the article abutting contact face 20 of board 10, either in addition, or as an alternative, to its placement upon the clamping member 24.

Clamping member 24 may be conveniently installed in notch 22 of molding member 12 at the time such molding is initially secured to the front face of board 10. When iii so disposed, the clamping member 24 will gravitate downmargins, and is, particularly well adapted to the retention Wardly to extend below member 12, as illustrated in Figure 2. It is desirable to provide a plurality of separate 24, disposed end to end in notch 22, where suspension of a number of different articles side by side in closely spaced relationship is anticipated, in order that one such article may be inserted or released The adjacently disposed ends of such a plural clamping member arrangement are indicated by the parting lines 33 in Figure 1.

Operation is initiated by placing the hand 34, as in Figure 3, with one or more fingers 36 atop molding member 12 and with the thumb 3S beneath the molding and the clamp member 24, and thereupon pushing upwardly upon the latter to cause its movement upward-and away from the front contact face 20 of board 10, permitting insertion with the other hand of the article to be clamped, which for purposes of illustration is the piece of paper 32. With the article inserted between the clamping member 24 and board member 10, the hand 34 is removed to permit member 24 to gravitate downwardly to the position of Figure 2, wedging itself between members 12 and 10, to exert a clamping pressure upon the upper margin of the paper. Because of the friction material provided upon the contact face 30 of clamping member 24, such clamping pressure need not be great and a member 24 constructed of wood will be of sufficient weight to achieve the desired clamping effect. However, should additional pressure be preferred, the member 24 may of course be made of heavier material or weighted in an appropriate fashion.

From the above, it may be seen that this invention provides an extremely simple and effective means for articleretention being adapted to a wide variety of applications. It will be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention as herein described may be altered, changed or modified without departing from the spirit or scope of'the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An article holder for sheet material comprising means having a planar surface enabling the clamping thereto of the upper portion of a unit of sheet material, a molding member and means fixedly positioning the same adjacent said planar surface, said molding member being relieved at the side thereof disposed toward said planar surface to define, with said planar surface an elongated passageway open at the bottom and also open at at least one of the ends thereof, said passageway being wedgeshaped in transverse cross-section and being progressively narrower toward the bottom thereof, an elongated clamping member normally freely disposed within said passageway and adapted to be inserted into said passageway and removed therefrom through said open end thereof, said clamping member being wedge-shaped in transverse crosssection and having its side boundary surfaces disposed in parallel with the respective adjacently disposed side "means having a planar surface enabling clamping thereto of the upper portion of a unit of sheet material, a molding member fixedly secured adjacent said planar surface, a portion of said molding member being spaced from the side thereof disposed toward said planar surface to define with said planar surface an elongated passageway open at the bottom, said passageway being wedge-shaped 'in transverse cross section and being progressively narrower toward the bottom thereof, an elongated clamping member adapted for free disposition within said passageway, said clamping member being wedge-shaped in transverse cross section and having its side boundary surfaces disposed in parallel with the respective adjacently disposed side surfaces of said passageway, said clamping member being materially smaller in transverse cross section than said passageway, thereby enabling the bottom of said clamping member to extend through the open bottom of said passageway for manual access and manipulation of said clamping member relative to said sheet material.

3. An article holder for sheet material comprising backing means having a front surface enabling the clamping thereto of the upper portion of a unit of sheet material, a molding member projecting forwardly of said backing means and spaced therefrom to define with said front surface an elongated passageway open at the bottom, said passageway being characterized by a downwardly tapered transverse cross section, an elongated clamping member adapted for receipt within said passageway, said clamping member being downwardly tapered in transverse cross section and having its side boundary surfaces disposed in substantially parallel relation with the respective adjacently disposed side surfaces of said passageway, said clamping member being materially smaller in transverse cross section than said passageway, thereby enabling the bottom of said clamping member to extend through the open bottom of said passageway for manual access and manipulation of said clamping member relative to said sheet material.

Hubbel -o--. Nov. 21, 1950 Lubow July 24, 1956 

